Heart Troubles
by Kristen3
Summary: When Daphne gets scary news from her doctor, she seeks comfort from a certain psychiatrist. Will it lead to something more?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**Usual disclaimer applies. Thanks to Leigh Ann (leighann415) for reading a draft of this. It's all I've got so far, so please be patient! Also, I'm dedicating this to Andrea (iloveromance) and Annika (BaronessBlixen) for being so supportive & encouraging w/ this idea! :)

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Niles heard someone knocking very insistently on his front door. He went to answer it, wondering who on earth it could be. He hoped it wasn't Maris, or one of her high-society friends. He was in no mood to deal with them now. He opened the door. "Daphne!" he said in surprise. Seeing her always brought a smile to his face.

"Something's wrong with me heart!" she exclaimed.

"Are you having chest pains? Should I call 911?" Niles asked, immediately taking her hand and pulling her into the apartment.

"No, nothing like that. Sorry to frighten you. But I just came from me annual physical. I was supposed to go to the doctor months ago, but I've been so busy lately, taking care of your father."

"What happened?" Niles asked, gesturing for her to sit next to him on the fainting couch.

"Apparently, the doctor saw something in my bloodwork that he didn't like. Wants to send me for some kind of test. He was using an awful lot of big medical words I didn't bloody understand, but I understood enough to know it's serious. He wants me to go and have _more_ tests done."

Relieved to know that Daphne was in no immediate danger, Niles smiled. "Well, if it had been anything really serious, I'm sure you would've been admitted to the hospital. Did you make another appointment?"

Daphne shook her head. "The receptionist wanted me to, but I just wanted to get out of there as fast as I could! Oh, Dr. Crane, what if he finds something wrong with me?"

"There is nothing wrong with you," Niles immediately said.

"Thank you," Daphne replied, slightly embarrassed by the compliment.

Niles could see that Daphne was still upset. "Would it make you feel better if you didn't have to go by yourself next time?"

"That's very sweet of you to offer, but I couldn't ask you to do a thing like that. You have your own life."

Niles reached over and held Daphne's hand. "I _want _to do it. I can see that you're a bit nervous, and, well, I care about you."

"Thank you. You always know just what to say to make me feel better!" Before Niles knew what was happening, Daphne pulled him into a tight hug.

Niles breathed in the scent of her shampoo, sighing. "I'm always here for you, Daphne."


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, Niles stopped by his brother's and was relieved when Daphne answered the door. "How are you?" he asked.

"I'm just fine," Daphne replied. Then she turned around, making sure that Martin and Frasier where nowhere to be seen. "Let's talk out there," she said, pointing to the hallway. Niles immediately stepped back, confused as to what Daphne was doing.

Daphne closed the door behind her. "I haven't told your father or your brother about...what happened. Didn't want to worry them. I know if they knew about it, they'd both be hovering all over me. It's hard enough getting your father to do his exercises without him staring at me the whole time!"

Niles took Daphne's hands in his, feeling how soft they were. "Daphne, I'm psychiatrist. I'm used to keeping things in confidence. But, you know, if this really does turn out to be something serious, I think you should tell them."

"Oh, I know, Dr. Crane. But right now, your father's health comes first. I can't let you or your brother down just because I'm worried sick, can I?"

"You could never let me down," Niles said, amazed at her kindness, even when she was so troubled. "Just try not to worry."

"I am trying, Dr. Crane. But it's not very easy, when I keep picturing all these awful things. What if I've only got a few months left? I know you must think I'm awfully silly, getting all worked up over a simple blood test!"

"Sometimes doctors just like to be over-cautious and make sure they've checked everything. But I'll go with you, if that's still what you want."

Daphne smiled for the first time since the conversation began. "I can't thank you enough for all of this. I think I'd be going out of me mind by now if I didn't have somebody to talk to about it. What would I ever do without you?" she asked, once again hugging him.

"I ask myself the same thing," Niles whispered as he held Daphne in his arms.


	3. Chapter 3

That evening, Daphne was clearing the table after dinner. Martin had already left to go watch a game at McGinty's with some friends. "Daphne, is something wrong?" Frasier's voice brought Daphne's mind to the present.

She smiled. "No," she lied. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, for one thing, you've been wiping that same spot for the past ten minutes," Frasier answered.

"Oh. Sorry," Daphne replied, slightly embarrassed. "I guess me mind just wandered a bit."

"Would you like to talk about it? You know my motto: 'I'm listening.'" He smiled at the familiar phrase.

"Thank you, but I'm all right, Dr. Crane. Just a bit distracted at the moment."

Frasier suspected Daphne wasn't being completely honest. He gently put his hand on top of hers, hoping she would see that he cared. "Daphne, you know that Dad and I consider you a part of this family, don't you? So, if there's anything you need, just let us know. I'm sure it can be difficult at times, taking care of Dad."

Daphne's heart broke, hearing Dr. Crane talk about her being part of the family. How would they handle it if something happened? But she took a deep breath, forcing herself not to dwell on the subject. "Oh, it's not so bad," she said. "I'm very happy here." As if to prove her point, she smiled at him. _I just hope I can stay here_, she thought.

Frasier smiled at that. "Well, I'm glad to hear it." As he watched Daphne continue to clean up, he hoped that whatever was troubling her, it was nothing serious. Somehow, he could not imagine how he and his father would ever get by without her.


	4. Chapter 4

Daphne's heart pounded as she dialed the phone. She'd finally decided that not knowing was worse than knowing. It was difficult to make this call, because she knew she needed to wait until both Dr. Crane and his father were out of the apartment. But once she saw her chance, she took it. After just a few minutes on the phone with her doctor's office, she'd made her appointment. Luckily, she wouldn't have to wait long. The doctor was available on Friday afternoon. With that out of the way, she once again dialed the phone, this time calling the Montana. "Dr. Crane? It's Daphne."

"Oh, hello!" Niles said when he heard the familiar voice on the other end of the line. Just hearing it made his heart melt.

"I just thought you should know I made the appointment with me doctor."

Immediately, Niles wished he could be there with her. He knew how frightened she must be. "All right. When is it?"

"This Friday at three," she answered. Then she winced, realizing that it probably would be right in the middle of his workday. "If that won't work -"

"No, Daphne, it's fine," Niles replied. He knew he would have to ask Mrs. Woodson to juggle his appointments, but he didn't mind in the least.

"Oh, thank you, Dr. Crane!" Daphne said, the relief in her voice obvious.

"You're welcome."

"I know this must seem like a silly thing to you, but I really do appreciate this, Dr. Crane. It means so much to me that you'd be willing to go with me."

"Daphne, I'd go anywhere with you," he immediately replied. Then he laughed, trying to act as though this were a casual comment, not words coming from the very bottom of his heart. Perhaps, if he were able to help Daphne through this difficult time, she might finally understand just how much he cared about her. That was the one thought that kept repeating itself in Niles' mind, long after he and Daphne had hung up the phone.


	5. Chapter 5

On Friday afternoon, Niles knocked on his brother's door. He figured, if he really wanted to help Daphne, he should not only offer to go with her to the doctor's office, but also get her there safely.

"Niles?" Frasier asked when he answered the door. "I was just on my way out to work. What are you doing here?"

"I came to see Daphne. She has...an errand to run, and I thought I'd give her a ride." Niles hated lying to his brother, even slightly. But Daphne had wanted him to keep the secret, so he kept it.

Just then, Daphne entered the room. "Dr. Crane! What brings you here?" she asked, unable to hide her surprise.

"I thought...I could give you a ride," he said, suddenly nervous about showing up here unannounced.

"Oh, that's so thoughtful of you," Daphne replied. "Just give me a minute to finish getting ready, and we'll go." Niles nodded, and Daphne went back into her bedroom.

Frasier began to sense that Niles was aware of whatever had been distracting Daphne lately. He desperately wanted to ask his brother what was going on, but it was obvious Niles was not about to discuss it. As much as he and his father cared about Daphne, she was entitled to her privacy. For all she did for them, they owed her at least that.

A minute later, Daphne returned. "I'm all set now, Dr. Crane," she said as she walked over to him. Once Daphne had reached him, Niles gently took hold of her hand. With a quick wave in Frasier's direction, they left.

A few minutes later, they arrived at the doctor's office. Because they had left a bit sooner than Daphne had planned, they were early. The wait only incresed Daphne's anxieties. Niles saw this and once again took hold of her hand. "Everything's going to be fine," he said reassuringly. Though there was no guarantee that he was right, the words soothed Daphne a bit.

Daphne was beyond grateful for Dr. Crane's kindness. She couldn't imagine how she'd get through this if he weren't here. It was hard to believe that in just a few minutes, she could be given news that would change her life forever. Every time she was tempted to let that thought overwhelm her, Dr. Crane would find a way to calm her, usually by whispering in her ear that everything would be all right, and she didn't have to face this alone.

Niles looked at Daphne, heartbroken at the panic he saw in her eyes. This seemed so wrong. Daphne always put others ahead of herself. She didn't deserve this. The world could be terribly unfair at times, and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Why's it taking so long for them to call my name?" Daphne asked.

"Daphne, it's still five minutes to three," he said. "I'm sure any minute now, they'll call you. And I'll be right here waiting when you come back out. Whatever happens, I'm here for you, OK?"

Daphne looked into his eyes and forced herself to calm down. "OK," she said, her voice a bit shaky.

Just then, a receptionist stepped into the room. "Daphne Moon?"

"That's me." She turned back to Dr. Crane one last time. "Wish me luck!"

Niles squeezed her hand, amazed at its softness. "Good luck," he said, giving her a reassuring smile.

While Daphne was gone, Niles tried to read a magazine to keep his mind off whatever was going on in the exam room where Daphne was. When he'd imagined accompanying her to this appointment, he'd never thought about this part. Though he had remained calm and reassuring in front of her, now he couldn't help feeling nervous. After all, this was the woman he loved. He wondered what he would do if she were given bad news today. He knew that he would stand by her, no matter what the outcome. But he wasn't sure whether his heart was ready to go through something as difficult as that.

When Daphne finally emerged, Niles stood up. "Well?" he asked when she came near him.

Daphne beamed at him, relief evident on her face. "It was just a fluke in me bloodwork. I'm perfectly fine, Dr. Crane!"

Before Niles could even think, Daphne hugged him tightly. The scent of her hair momentarily overwhelmed his senses. When the embrace ended, Daphne looked at him in confusion. "Aren't you happy?" she asked.

"Yes, of course I am," Niles replied, still in a state of shock over the news, not to mention the hug. "If something had happened to you, I don't know what I would've done."

Daphne smiled, touched by his words. "I really can't thank you enough for being here for me."

"It was my pleasure, Daphne." He was barely able to resist the urge to touch her cheek. After all their fear and worry, she had been declared healthy. It was truly a miracle in Niles' eyes.

Daphne was a bit confused by Dr. Crane's silence. She'd expected him to be as happy as she was. "Well, I guess you have things to do, so I'll just get a taxi back to your brother's," she said.

Suddenly, Niles realized that if things had gone differently today, he might never have gotten a chance to say what was in his heart. Perhaps it was a sign that he needed to take a step. "Actually, I believe my schedule for the rest of the day is clear," he said. "What would you like to do?"

Daphne looked at him in surprise. She hadn't expected this. "I couldn't ask you to spend the whole afternoon with me. I've taken up enough of your time as it is."

"Daphne, time spent with you is hardly wasted," he said. "You've just been given a new lease on life. I'd say that calls for a celebration."

Daphne smiled, touched by his words. "Well, there's a park not far from here, and it's a beautiful day. Would you like to go for a walk?"

Niles smiled. "A walk in the park with you sounds wonderful." He took Daphne's hand, walking her toward the door. As the walked outside into the rare Seattle sunshine, Niles could hardly believe his luck. In just a few moments, he would finally tell Daphne that he loved her. And, hopefully, he would spend every moment after that proving it to her.


End file.
